Chilli farming sees a boom in Sylhet

OUR CORRESPONDENT | Published: January 16, 2025 21:35:37

A farmer was pictured tending his chilli field at Turukbag village in Golapganj upazila of Sylhet —FE Photo

SYLHET, Jan 16: Chilli cultivation has increased to a great extent in Sylhet division amid its high prices in local market.
Agriculture officials said the farmers of four districts in Sylhet division are more interested in chilli farming after suffering huge losses from floods.
However, many farmers are harvesting green chilli in the region.
A good number of farmers have been found rising the cultivation of different spice crops, especially chilli, according to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Sylhet.
At present, a vast tract of char land has been brought into the crops farming in recent years as the government has provided some technical and advisory assistance, he said.
Chilli has been cultivated on 4,540 hectares of land in Sylhet division - 1,956 hectares in Sylhet district, 490 hectares in Moulvibazar, 528 hectares in Habiganj and 1,560 hectares in Sunamganj.
Chilli farming is higher than last year's, the official added.
Farid Mia of Golapganj upazila in Sylhet said many farmers are getting engaged in farming spices, especially chilli, amid their rising demands and high prices.
At the beginning of season, many farmers have already sold green chilli at high prices.
Kazi Mujibur Rahman, additional director at the Sylhet DAE, said crops farming would increase further in the days to come as a programme is underway to bring arable land under crops cultivation.
The prime objective of the especially-initiated programme is to bring unused land under crop farming in the four districts of the division, he added.
forsylhet@gmail.com